Apparatus for handling floating lighters



June 2, 1970 R. AUZINS 3,515,085

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLOATING LIGHTERS Filed Oct. 2, 1968 4SheetsSheet 1 I l I i I l I INVENTOR. RAIMUN DS AUZINS Fl I BY BM, Sm,

ATTO R N EYS June 2, 1970 R. AUZINS 3,515,085

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLOATING LIGHTERS Filed Oct. 2. 1968 4Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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( l8 i *-|7 i INVENTOR.

RAIMUNDS AUZINS BY BM, SW,

J m; 8 6m ATTORNEYS June 2, 1970 R. AUZINS APPARATUS FOR HANDLINGFLOATING LIGHTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 2, 1968 INVENTOR. RAIMUNDS AUZI NS ATTORNEYS June 2, 1970 R. AUZINS 3,515,035

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLOATING LIGHTERS Filed Oct. 2, 1968 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR. RAIMUNDS AUZINS BY Bum d1, 5W,

J/mdhom 8 6m ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,515,085. PatentedJune 2, 1970 3,515,085 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FLOATING LIGHTERS RaimundsAuzins, East Avondale, Canton, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, toUnited Industrial Syndicate, he, doing business as Morgan EngineeringCompany, Alliance, Ohio, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 2, 1968,Ser. No. 764,385 Int. Cl. B63b 27/12 US. Cl. 114-435 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A hoist mechanism for use in connection with lifting andlowering lighters respectively from and to a floating position at sea. Alatch frame is suspended by rope falls for connection to the lighter andresilient members associated with the latch frame are provided formaintaining tension in the rope falls when the lighter is tossed by seaswell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cranes carried onships for lifting and transporting cargo lighters between a cargo holdand an outboard floating position. More particularly the inventionrelates to the hoist mechanism of the crane and especially to a meansfor maintaining tension in the rope falls of the hoist mechanism when afloating lighter to which the rope falls are connected is tossed by seaswell.

Since the lighters are normally loaded and unloaded at sea, somevertical motion of the lighters relative to the ship may be expectedduring the latching and lifting operation due to sea swell. The swellcauses the lighters to toss about and rock in any number of ways. Thismovement makes latching diflicult and also could cause the hoist ropesto go slack during lifting or lowering and then snap taut as the swellrecedes, thus putting an undesirable shock load on the hoist mechanism.More importantly the slack hoist ropes could become entangled with thepulleys and crane structure and cause serious damage to the hoistmechanism.

A swell compensating device for maintaining tension in the hoist ropeswhile the cargo lighter is tossed by sea swell, is disclosed in US. Pat.No. 3,390,657. According to that device, resilient members associatedwith each rope fall are interposed between a latch frame and the cranebody to maintain tension in the rope falls even while the floatinglighter is being tossed about in the sea.

The apparatus of the present invention is an improved form of the typeof swell compensating mechanism of US. Pat. No. 3,390,657 and affordsfeatures and advantages not obtainable from the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is among the objects of the invention tomaintain tension in rope falls connected between a crane and a floatinglighter while the lighter is being tossed by sea swell.

Another object is to connect the rope falls of a hoist mechanism to alatch frame adapted for connection to a floating lighter, through a loadbearing connection mechanism which accommodates tossing of the floatinglighter and the latch frame connected thereto while still maintainingtension in the rope falls.

Still another object is to reduce the impact between a latch frame ofthe type described and a floating lighter during connection of the latchframe to the lighter.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of articulate flexibleknee joints mounted on a latch frame suspended by the rope falls of ahoist mechanism for lifting and lowering lighters respectively from andto a floating position at sea, the latch frame being adapted forconnection to the lighter. Each knee joint comprises a pair of pivotallyinterconnected links, one link carrying sheaves at its outer end, whichare operably connected to the respective rope fall and the other linkbeing pivotally connected to the latch frame coaxially with the sheaveaxis and the axis of the joint. The knee joint is bendable between aload bearing position with the links generally in vertical alignmentend-to-end with one another and a collapsed or bent tension maintainingposition. The joint is biased to its collapsed position to such anextent that it is partially collapsed by the weight of the latch framealone. The biasing means is operable to collapse the joint with theouter ends of the links remaining substantially in vertical alignmentwith one another relative to the plane of the latch frame. Accordingly,each joint is effective to maintain tension in its respective rope fallwhen the lighter to which the latch frame is attached is being tossed bysea swell.

In the preferred embodiment the biasing means comprises a bell cranksecured to the upper link and pivotable coaxially with the head pin ofthe knee joint. A collapsing or rope tensioning force is applied to thebell crank at a point angularly disposed relative to the upper linkitself in a manner tending to collapse the joint with the sheave axisand latch frame pivot axis remaining in generally vertical alignmentwith one another relative to the latch frame.

As another aspect of the invention two knee joints are mounted on eachof two load beams forming opposite ends of a rectangular latch frame.The joints are arranged to collapse in a plane parallel to the load beamand the beams are each latched to two respective corners of the lighter.The load beams are linked together at pivotal connections by spacedlongitudinal side members which permit the load beams to move out ofcoplanar relationship with one another and also to remain in the sameplane as their respective rope falls when one load beam is lower thanthe other.

The beams have pyramid shaped recesses which fit over pyramid shapedlatching posts on the lighters and latch bolts on the load beams areinserted in closed lateral slots in the posts to secure the load beamsto the lighters for lifting. To compensate for rocking movement of thelighter in a plane perpendicular to the load beams, the opposite sidewalls of each recess, that are parallel to the longitudinal centerlineof the respective load beam, are of a convex cross section as is thefloor of the recess. The convexities of these surfaces are interrelatedso as to provide line contact between each post and its respectiverecess, along three parallel lines throughout a suitable range ofrocking movement of the lighter relative to each load beam in a planeperpendicular to the load beam. Rocking movement of the lighter in aplane parallel to the load beam, however, is compensated for by the kneejoints themselves.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description and drawings which describe andillustrate a preferred form of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationof the stern of a ship having a traveling gantry crane positioned oncantilever stern beams with its hoist mechanism ready to lift a floatinglighter from an outboard position at the stern of the ship;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale showing the latch frameof the hoist mechanism connected to a floating lighter being tossed bysea swell;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale taken from the planeindicated by the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

3. 7, FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the lines4-4 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the floatinglighter and latch frame of FIGS. 1 and 2; and FIG. 6 is a sectional viewon an enlarged scale taken on the lines 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawings FIG. 1 shows a transport ship A adapted to carry cargolighters such as a lighter B shown floating at the stern of the ship.The ship A has a gantry crane C located for travel on spaced railsextending longitudinally along opposite sides of the ship. In FIG. 1 thegantry crane C is located on spaced cantilever stern beams D whichprovide a platform on which the crane may travel to an outboard positionshown in FIG. 1 for lifting and lowering the lighter B respectively fromand to the sea. The gantry crane C is similar to the crane shown incopending' US. application Ser. No. 721,821, filed Apr. 16, 1968 andwill not be de scribed in detail.

The hoist mechanism of the crane includes four rope falls 10 suspendedfrom stationary sheave nests 11 at the top of the crane C. Each ropefall 10 is connected to one of four hoisting sheave nests 12, one sheavenest being connected to each of four articulate collapsible knee jointsE embodying the invention and located at each corner of a latch frame 13adapted for connection to the floating lighter B. The rope falls 10 eachcomprise two hoist ropes which pass back and forth between a stationarysheave nest 11 on the crane and a respective hoisting sheave nest 12operatively connected to the latch frame 13 through a collapsible kneejoint E.

The latch frame 12 comprises starboard side and portside load beams 14which are linked together at pivotal connections by tubular members 15to form an articulated rectangular skeletal frame. Diagonal brace cables16 prevent collapse and twisting of the frame, however, the pivotalconnections between the load beams 14 and tubular members 15 permit theopposite load beams 14 to move out of coplanar relation to one anotherand also to remain in vertical alignment with the rope falls when thelighter is rocked in a plane perpendicular to the load beams 14.

At opposite ends of each load beam 14 is a latch mechanism (FIG. 4)comprising a pyramid shaped recess 17 adapted to match the tapered topportions of posts 18 located at each corner of the lighter B. Thetapered configuration of the posts 18 and recesses 17 in the latch frame12 assures accurate alignment of the latch frame 13 relative to thelighter B and also permits the crane operator some margin of error indropping the latch frame 13 into position, the recesses 17 serving as acentering and locating means. This arrangement is described in detail inU.'S. application 'Ser. No. 721,821 identified above.

The tapered top of each post 18 is provided with a horizontal closedslot 21 which is adapted to receive a latch bolt 22. The latch bolt 22is operated by a threaded rod 23 which in turn is moved in an axialdirection by a gear reducer unit 24 driven by an electric motor 25.Alternatively, however, the latch bolt may be operated by a hydrauliccylinder.

Referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that when the lighter B rocks ortilts in a plane perpendicular to the load beams 14 the posts 18 mustalso rock or tilt a corresponding amount within the recesses 17.Otherwise the load beams themselves would roll with the lighter abouttheir longitudinal centerlines and the sheave nests 12 would move out ofvertical alignment with their respective rope falls 10.

In order to accommodate this rocking movement, the opposite side walls19 of the recesses 17 are parallel to the longitudinal centerline of therespective load beams 14 are of a convex. cross section as is the floorof the recess '(FIG. 6). The convexities of these surfaces areinterrelated so as to provide contact between these three convexsurfaces and the respective post, along three lines of contactthroughout the design range of rocking motion of the lighter in a planeperpendicular to the load beams. This three point contact is illustratedin FIG. 2 where the lighter is rocked-to approximately the-design limitof the hoist mechanism. It will be seen that the load beams 14 haverolled relative the lighter B about their longitudinal centerlines inorder to remain in the vertical planes of their respective rope falls10.

Each hoisting sheave nest 12 is connected to the latch frame 13 by oneof the articulate collapsible knee joints E, two of which are located oneach load beam 14 for collapsing movement in a vertical plane throughthe longitudinal centerline of their respective load beam 14. The jointsE serve to maintain tension in the rope falls 10 when the latch frame 13is latched to a floating lighter B being tossed by sea swell such asduring the lifting and lowering of the lighter B respectively from andto a floating position at sea. The joints also accommodate rockingmovement of the lighter B in a plane parallel to the longitudinalcenterline of the load beams.

The collapsible knee joint E is best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 andincludes an upper link 30 to which the sheave nest 12 is pivotallyconnected by a sheave pin 31, the link 30 being bifurcated to receivethe hoisting sheave nest 12 as best shown in FIG. -6. The link 30 ispivotally connected by a head pin 33 to a bifurcated lower link 34 whichin turn is pivotally connected at its lower end by pins 35 to one of theload beams 14.

The joint E is movable between the extended position shown in FIG. 1 andin solid lines in FIG. 4 and a collapsed position shown in dashed linesin FIG. 4. Thus the sheave nest 12 is capable of generally verticalmovement between the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4 and theposition shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 in order to maintain tension inthe rope falls 10 when the barge is tossed upward by the sea swell.

Each joint E is biased to its collapsed position by a tensioning cable36 connected to a bell crank 37 secured between the bifurcations of theupper link 30 (FIG. 6). The cable 36 passes around an arcuate arm 38 ofthe bell crank 37 to a'connection point. By applying a force to the bellcrank with the tensioning cable 36, the collapsing movement of the jointE (FIG. 3) is accomplished essentially without moving the axis of thesheave nest 12 out of vertical alignment with the axis of the hinge pins35 which connect the lower link 34 to the latch frame 13. The biasingforce tends to pivot the upper link 30' about the head pin 33 out ofvertical alignment so that both links 30 and 34 move through about thesame angular displacement.

The collapsing movement is limited by a bumper 39 lo cated on the beam14 which engages a matching stop 40 on the lower link 34. It will beseen that the cable 36 is wrapped about the arcuate arm 38 of the bellcrank 37 so that the tensioning force is always applied to the upperlink 30 with substantially the same mechanical advantage throughout thecollapsing movement. 1

The cable 36 is tensioned by one of two air loaded tensioning cylinders41 mounted on a bracket 42, one of which is recessed within each loadbeam 14. Each air cylinder 41 serves to tension a single length oftensioning cable 36 that is operatively connected to both of the kneejoints E mounted respectively on one of the load beams 14. Thus one aircylinder 41 is provided for each load beam 14.

The tensioning cable 36 extends from its point of attachment to the bellcrank 37 to one of two stationary pulleys 43 secured within the loadbeam 14. From one of the pulleys 43 at the rearward end of the aircylinder 41, the cable 36 passes back to and from another pulley 44mounted on the piston rod 45 of the cylinder 40. The cable extends backand forth several times between the pulleys 43 and 44 and thence to theopposite knee joint E.

The air cylinders 41 are loaded to 'a predetermined pressure so that thetensioning force or resiliency is sufficient to' partially collapse thejoints E under the weight of the latch frame 13 alone and is alsosufficient to maintain a tensioning force acting on the jointsthroughout their range of movement.

A secondary advantage of this arrangement is that the latch frame itselfstores considerable potential energy tending to counteract the weight ofthe latch frame. Therefore during the latching operation the impact ofthe latch frame 13 engaging the lighter B is considerably reduced thusgreatly extending the life of the latch frame and its associatedmechanisms.

OPERATION The operation of the knee joints B will be described withrespect to a latching operation wherein the hoist mechanism of thegantry crane C lowers the latch frame 13 onto a floating lighter Bpositioned at the stern of the ship A as shown in FIG. 1. During thelowering of the latch frame the knee joints E are partially but notfully 6 in the reverse manner and again the knee joints are effective inthe same way to maintain tension in their respective rope falls when thelighter is in a floating position and being tossed by sea swell beforethe latch frame 13 is released.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to aspecific embodiment thereof, this is intended only for the purpose ofillustration rather than limitation and other variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art withinthe intended spirit and scope of the invention as herein specificallyillustrated and described. Therefore the patent is not to be limited inscope and effect to the preferred form illustrated and described hereinnor in any other way that is inconsistent with the progress by which theart has been advanced by the invention.

extended due to the weight of the latch frame. The

eventual impact of the corners of the latch frame 13 with the posts 18on the lighter is softened considerably due to the potential energystored in the air cylinders 41. Once the latch frame 13 is in positionon the posts 18 the motors 25 are operated to move the latch bolts 22into their respective slots 21 and thus secure the latch frame 13 to thelighter for lifting. Once the latching is complete the hoist mechanismmay be operated to lift the lighter B from the sea.

Before the lighter B is lifted out of the sea however certain tossingmovement of the lighter relative to the ship can be expected asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be seen that without thearticulate collapsing knee joints E the rope falls 10 would beperiodically slackened due to the sea swell. However, according to thepresent invention tension is maintained in the rope falls 10 due to thecollapsing movement of the joints E.

Referring to FIG. 3 for example it will be seen that the left-hand sideof the lighter has been tilted upward to raise the respective end of thelatch frame 13 relative to the hoisting sheaves 12 of the rope falls 10immediately above. As this occurs however the respective knee joints Ecollapse to maintain tension in the rope falls.

The collapsing action is accomplished in such a way that the axis ofeach hoisting sheave nest 12 remains in generally vertical alignmentwith the hinge pins 35 conmeeting the respective lower link 34 to thelatch frame. This obviates any excessive swinging movement of the ropefalls during the collapsing movement. The force causing the collapsingmovement is supplied through the compressed air cylinders 41 whichtension the cable 36 and thus maintain a desired biasing force in eachknee joint B.

As indicated above the lighter may rock in any number of ways and is notlimited to uniform vertical movement with the sea swell. The rocking ortilting movements shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are typical. When the tossinglighter B causes the load beams 14 to be tilted endwise as shown in FIG.3, the joints E compensate for the movement since they collapseunequally in the vertical plane through the longitudinal centerline oftheir respective load beam.

When the lighter B rocks or tilts in a plane perpendicular to the loadbeams 14, however, the load beams must roll relative to the lighter,about their respective longitudinal centerlines in order to stay in thevertical plane of their respective rope falls. This rolling movement(FIG. 2) is accommodated by means of the unique shape of the pyramidshaped recesses 17 wherein the opposite side walls 19 of the recess aswell as the respective floor thereof are convex and thus accommodatetilting or rocking movement of the posts 18 received therein asindicated in FIG. 2.

The lowering of the lighter into the sea is accomplished What is claimedis:

1. In a hoist mechanism for lifting and lowering lighters respectivelyfrom and to a floating position at sea, the mechanism including aplurality of rope falls and a latch frame suspended by said rope fallsand adapted for connection to a lighter, the improvement which comprisesa collapsible member for each rope fall, said member being operativelyconnected between its respective rope fall and said latch frame andbeing movable between an upwardly extending load bearing position and acollapsed tension maintaining position, and means biasing said member tosaid collapsed position to maintain tension in its respective rope fallwhen said latch frame is connected to a lighter being tossed by seaswell.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said latch frame is ofrectangular skeletal form and comprises a pair of laterally spacedgenerally parallel load beams linked together at pivotal connections byspaced side members, one of said collapsible members being mounted ateach end of each load beam for collapsing movement in the vertical planethrough the longitudinal centerline of its respective load beam, arecess of pyramidal form in the bottom of each load beam at each endthereof and adapted to receive a post top of pyramidal form on a cornerof said lighter, each recess having opposite surfaces parallel to thelongitudinal centerline of the respective load beam, said surfaceshaving a convex form to provide line contact with the adjacent surfacesof the respective post whereby to accommodate lateral roll of said loadbeam relative to said lighter, and latch means on each load beamcooperable with the respective posts for securing said load beams tosaid lighter for hoisting.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprisesa pneumatic cylinder.

4. In a hoist mechanism for lifting and lowering lighters respectivelyfrom and to a floating position, the mechanism including a plurality ofrope falls and a latch frame suspended by said rope falls and adaptedfor connection to a lighter, the improvement which comprises anarticulate collapsible knee joint for each rope fall, said knee jointcomprising a pair of pivotally interconnected links, one link beingoperatively connected to its respective rope fall and the other linkbeing pivotally connected to said latch frame, said joint being bendablebetween a load bearing position with said links in vertical alignment,and a collapsed tension maintaining position, and means biasing saidjoint to said collapsed position to maintain tension in said rope fallwhen said latch frame is connected to a lighter being tossed by seaswell, said means being operable to bend said joint with the outer endsof said links remaining substantially in vertical alignment with oneanother relative to said latch frame.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes abell crank secured to said upper link and coaxial with said knee joint,and a tension cable connected to said bell crank and adapted to exert acollapsing force through said bell crank on said knee joint.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said bell crank is providedwith a curved end surface on the bell crank arm to which said'tensioncable is connected, said curved end surface being concentric with th'e bell crank axis and said tension cable being wrapped around said endsurface whereby the moment of force of said tension cable about saidbell crank axis remains. substantially the same throughout saidcollapsing movement.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprisesan air cylinder. I

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said air cylinder ispre-loaded sufiiciently to partially collapse said knee joints under theweight of said latch frame alone. Y

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein'said latch frame is ofrectangular skeletal form and comprises" a pair of laterally spaced,generally parallel load beams linked together at pivotal connections byspaced side members, one of said knee joints being mounted at each endof each load beam for collapsing movement in the vertical plane throughthe longitudinal centerline of its respective load beam to accommodateendwise tilting movement of said load beam when latched to a lighter,and means for accommodating lateral roll of said load beams relative tosaid lighter whereby said load beams remain generally in the Verticalplane of their respective rope Ifalls when said lighter is rocked in aplane perpendic'ularto said load beams. j I

10.- Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means foraccommodating lateral roll comprises a recess of pyramidal form in thebottom of each load beam at each end thereof andadapted to receive apost top of pyramidal form on a corner of said lighter, each recesshaving opposite surfaces parallel to the longitudinal centerline of therespective load beam, said surfaces having a convex form to provide linecontact with the adjacent surfaces of the respective post.

I References Cited v v UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,361,274- 1/1968: Goldman214 1s 3,428,194 2/1969 Weiss 214-1s TRYGVEcMi BLIX, Primary Examinerus; c1 X.R. 214-15

